Justin Nelson, Mary Swinford-Berns, Aaron YonkeEDL 755 Technology, Culture and LearningDr. Nari KimJuly 2011
Introduction
A dynamic world filled with constant change demands equal change in the classroom. The traditional methods of classroom presentations are tried and true, and the classic stand-bys PowerPoint and Keynote remain reliable, basic tools. However, just as our world advances technologically, the methods for classroom presentations are also advancing. With the advent of Web 2.0 technologies and their application to the classroom, both teachers and students now have a wider range of online tools with which to create more engaging presentations. Results of this increase in 2.0 technology in classrooms, Prezi, Screencast-o-matic and 280 Slides are three modern, online presentation applications with a myriad of advantages over the traditional models previously available.
Definition of a 2.0 Presentation Tool
In his article, What Is Web 2.0: Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software Tim O’Reilly discusses that Web 2.0 technologies are a method for “harnessing collective intelligence” (2). The focus for online and Web 2.0 technologies in the modern society is collaboration and accessibility. The presentational aspect of Web 2.0 tools is to make presentations more public than in years past, when a PowerPoint would just be housed on a local drive and perhaps uploaded to a wikispace, provided there was enough storage space available. Now, with Web 2.0 presentation tools, these presentations can be stored in many locations, most notably online, where more people can have access to them, more data can be shared, and the lay-out of the presentation itself can be formatted. “[W]e always need to create, collaborate and manage our documents in the best possible way,” says Kripa Iyer on the techware blog, and the new tools currently available offer teachers and students the ability to do so.
History
Prezi
As with most Web 2.0 tools, Prezi does not have a lengthy history. It was launched by Zui Labs in 2008. A true contradiction to technological determinism, the two masterminds behind Prezi developed it because of the limitations they encountered while lecturing. Adam Somiai-Fischer, an architect working with zooming presentations, and Peter Halacsy, an Assistant Professor in the New Media department of Budapest University of Technology, had both been lecturing and using presentation styles that had not been changed for 50 years (About us, 2011). Their frustrations led them to their innovation,Prezi, a 2.0 presentation tool that allowed a presenter to show non-linear relationships between concepts instead of using the traditional slide presentation format. CLICK HERE to view an example of a Prezi on Pythagoras' Theorem that can be used in the classroom.
Screencast-o-Matic Screencast-o-Matic was developed and launched in May 2007. However, long before the launch of Screencast-o-Matic, screen casting was a common practice among computer users. Essentially, screencasts are podcasts of computer monitors ("7 things you," 2006). Screencasts allow an individual to record a video of their actions on a computer monitor. These videos can then be saved as a video file and can be uploaded to You Tube or other file sharing programs online. Screencasts are very valuable as they provide students with a lesson that they can watch on their own time and outside of the classroom. Specifically, Screencast-o-Matic is one of the easiest screen casting programs available to individuals on the internet. It is free to use and its ease of use make it one of the favorite screen casting programs available on the internet.
280 Slides 280 Slides is the brainchild of the creative team of the company 280 North, Francisco Tolmasky, Tom Robinson and Ross Boucher (280 North Homepage). Only approximately three years old, this online presentation tool has been generating many positive reviews online and in the technology blogosphere. Tolmasky and Boucher are both former Apple employees, and 280 Slides is similar to the Keynote platform (techcrunch); however, it is a tool that is
completely housed online, requiring no software downloads or purchases (Carlson). Dave Kemick's instructional YouTube video on 280 Slides references the notion that one day, many of the traditional Office-based softwares will most likely be housed online, similarly to 280 Slides.
Advantages
Prezi
The real advantage to Prezi is that it allows a presenter to present in a non-linear fashion. Instead of moving from slide to slide as in a PowerPoint presentation, Prezi allows the user to zoom in and zoom out when needed. This allows the presenter to focus in on details while still keeping the key point within vision. Because this technology diverts from the slide format, there are many online tutorials to assist the beginner. CLICK HERE to view an online tutorial.
Besides the tutorial above, there is also an easy-to-use "cheat sheet" available for teachers and students summarizing the most basic functions of Prezi. CLICK HERE to access it.
Existing presentations in PowerPoint or Keynote can be "prezified" into a Prezi presentation with great ease.
The zebra tool allows the user to manipulate text, objects, or video by tilting, rotating, scaling, increasing or decreasing it with one handy tool.
As with all of the 2.0 presentation tools discussed on this site, Prezi can be housed online, thus freeing up valuable space on a hard drive.
Another advantage is that it is designed in flash, so it is quick and it allows the user to create much more engaging presentations.
The people at Prezi value their users' input, which is another advantage of using Prezi. They are open to learning, from others, ways to improve their product. Their philosophy is to not make promises that they cannot keep. As they claim on their website, "[o]ften it is easier to say 'yes' than 'no'" (About us, 2011).
And lastly, there is a basic Prezi presentation package that can be downloaded for free.
Screencast-o-Matic
Screencast-o-Matic is compatible with both MAC and PC operating systems.
This online tool requires minimal registration information to use.
The program allows users to directly upload screencasts to You Tube, save their screen cast, or upload to the Screencast-o-Matic website.
The Screencast-o-Matic website allows collaboration among registered Screencast-o-Matic users.
The software itself is very easy to use; users can be creating your own screen cast in under two minutes of arriving at the website.
Screencast-o-Matic allows users the ability to convert video files into QuickTime format ("Screencast-o-matic review," 2011).
Screencasts can be utilized to create tutorials, presentations, troubleshooting, or course orientations (Bovard, 2008).
Students can view screen casts at their own leisure and pace.
Students that may have questions or issues can refer back to a screen cast after they have left the classroom.
Screencasts in general promote collaboration amongst educators.
Students can skip to a particular part or specific issue that they may need help with.
Users have the ability to edit screencasts, Screencast-o-Matic allows users to do this through the purchase of their “Pro” version.
Screencasts can supplement in class instruction.
Screencasts can help absent students remain up to speed if and when they miss class.
280 Slides
280 Slides is a free online program.
Users only need internet access and a browser to utilize the program, and the registration only requires an e-mail address with password.
The format is very similar to PowerPoint and Keynote, programs most likely already familiar to teachers and students.
The program includes a media search tool, so users can add media directly from the Internet to the slide presentation.
Users can import previously created PowerPoint presentations (but see “Disadvantages” below).
The 280 Slide presentation is downloadable to PowerPoint 2007.
(Information primarily provided by author's personal use and the Carlson article.) The most immediately relevant advantage for classroom application of this technology is that it is free and supported completely online. This eliminates many issues that may arise due to students not having software on their computers at home or experiencing issues with saving drafts to a jump-drive and not finding compatibility at school from their home hardware. For teachers, local school drives can be drastically freed of large PowerPoint presentations due to the presentations being stored online. As stated in the advantages list, any back-up copies can still be downloaded to personal drives or printed in hard copy format. Additionally, as long as you have saved your previous presentations as .pptx files, 280 Slides is fairly reliable with converting and importing the presentation, along with the templates and slide design and layouts previously found in PowerPoint. This is advantageous because the current amount of slide design and layout in 280 slides is not as diverse as PowerPoint yet. However, there are still quite a few glitches in the converting process. Any media previously embedded does not convert and causes disruptions in importing. As of now, it appears better to start presentations from scratch in the program rather than convert old presentations from PowerPoint, especially more complicated PowerPoints.
Disadvantages
Prezi
The biggest disadvantage of Prezi is because its concept is completely different than other presentation tools, it does take a while to become proficient. The good news about this is that there are many online tutorials to assist in learning Prezi.
Other negative comments from users center around the pre-made styling of font and color of text, i.e., that you could not change them. Yeah, I saw a few Prezi presentations, fell in love with the overall idea, and came up with a few concepts for my own. However, all my concepts required the ability to use two different font styles/colors -- of my choosing; not of a pre-made style -- in the same document -- and you can't do that! It's actually completely impossible! I've never seen a better concept completely undone by so petty a deficiency. This is a stellar opportunity for a competitor to move in and create a vastly better product just by adding one trivial feature...(Sijbrandij, et. al, 2011).
There was also a prevailing sense among users that Prezi would certainly have a niche, but that for technical presentations, it was a bust.
Some users felt a sense of imbalance or vertigo as a Prezi was viewed due to the zooming in and out feature.
Other issues with using Prezi can be found on the Prezi website.
Screencast-o-Matic
Screencast-O-Matic only allows editing of software through the purchase of their “Pro” version.
Screencasts are not interactive ("7 things you," 2006).
Students can not directly ask questions of the teacher or instructor if they are watching a screen cast outside of the classroom.
Students need access to a computer and the internet in order to view a screen cast.
Screencasts may record irrelevant information that is not needed.
It may take several attempts to create a successful screen cast without any interruptions or mistakes.
Screencast-o-Matic does not provide as many options and features as similar screencasting programs ("Screencast-o-matic review," 2011).
Screencasts promote more or a memorization learning than cultivating critical thinking skills.
280 Slides
Certain image file types are not supported (most notably PDF).
Some presentational glitches are evident, especially when downloading to different formats like PowerPoint.
No special or fancy screen transition options are available. Only one transition from slide to slide exists.
280 Slides does not currently support hyperlinks.
The user cannot cut and paste from a Word document in to the slide show program, everything must be typed directly in the slide program.
(Information primarily provided by author's personal use and the Carlson article.)
Currently, the advantages for 280 Slides outweigh the disadvantages. However, to a new user who is more accustomed to PowerPoint or Keynote and the wider range of variety in those programs, some of the current limitations can be frustrating. If a user starts a project in 280 Slides rather than transfer from an existing program, though, he or she will find that the frustration level is greatly reduced.
Possible concerns in K-12 Education
Prezi One specific concern of using Prezi in the classroom is the limited amount of users offered by Prezi. At present, students can work collaboratively in real time, but with only ten students at a time. In today's classroom of 30+ students, that would mean assigning three students to a computer. In classes of over 30, even more would have to be assigned. For every student to become proficient at Prezi, these types of arrangements are not practical. Becoming proficient is another concern in the classroom. Although there are readily available tutorials for Prezi, the fact still remains that the teacher would have to be proficient at using this tool to be able to assist students. Committing the rare resource of time to acquiring that proficiency will not be every teachers's priority. Then there are the social justice issues to consider when using any 2.0 tool: even in today's society, there are students who will not have access to a computer to be able to work past the class hour allotted to instruction.
Screencast-o-Matic
One of the biggest concerns that arise when using a product like Screencast-o-Matic would the requirement that students have access to a computer and the internet to take advantage of screencasts. Students coming from low income families or that do not have the appropriate technology would be at a disadvantage. Although the Howard-Suamico school district is a rather affluent district, it is important to remember that all students may not have equal access to the proper means of technology. If a teacher plans on using screencasts in the classroom, students would need to have their own computers to allow them work at their own pace. Currently at Bay Port, it is quite difficult to obtain access to computer labs. If a teacher was show a screen cast on a SMART Board or LCD projector, it really would not be that much different than a lecture. Another issue would be the access to high speed internet in the classroom. Although Bay Port is a wireless school, the reliability and speed of the internet varies from day to day. Therefore, screencasting may not be the most reliable option. With this being said, the overall positives and advantages of screen casts outweigh the negatives. If a teacher plans on using screencasts outside of the classroom as a supplement to the core materials that are being presented in the classroom, there should not be too much of a concern.
280 Slides
Echoing the concerns of both Prezi and Screencast-o-matic' s uses in the classroom, 280 Slides also requires access to the Internet. Students will need to be able to access a Browser in order to complete work in the program. During the school day, access to computers for class time is also limited, so a student will have to be motivated when using this program if they do not have regular Internet access; procrastination is most certainly not an option with this program. Additionally, all the files are stored online. While the user can choose to download the files to his or her personal drive or storage device, the purpose of 280 Slides is to reduce this need. Yet, technology is not always one hundred percent reliable and a student could potentially have his or her work lost due to a glitch or server crash. For truly important tasks, back-ups would be a must. Otherwise, 280 Slides offers many positive aspects for use in K-12 education.
Future direction
Prezi In the three short years that Prezi has been in existence, it has already has introduced three new products: Prezi Desktop, which is for offline use with the added security of local storage, Prezi Meeting, which gives Prezi the ability to be used collaboratively, and Prezi iPad, an application for the iPad. In compliment to these newer innovations, the brains behind Prezi are constantly looking for ways to improve their product to appeal to users even more. This continual innovation and open approach will keep Zui Labs fresh and competitive. For this generation of students who desire the need to be autonomous and the need to be competent, Prezi provides just the right challenge. It definitely allows the user to be creative and since it is non-traditional, it allows students to opportunity to conquer it. These facts, coupled with its free access will attract many new users for years to come. Its uniqueness will also stimulate the free market and bring on many competitors in the non-linear presentation field. The spearheads of Prezi will have to stay current and innovative to stay competitive.
Screencast-o-Matic
Due to the fact that screencasting is easily accessible and just as easy to use, just about anyone can take advantage of this web 2.0 product. With the current movement towards more standards and educators having to provide more evidence of student learning, screencasts could play a vital role in fulfilling this need. Students could create a screen cast as part of a yearlong portfolio to display their proficiency in a particular topic. Screencasts may also prove to be a useful tool when it comes to helping students that are absent from class with remaining up to date on materials that are being presented.
280 Slides
The future of data storage seems to lie within the realm of online storage. The days of large personal servers and storage drives is slowly waning. To current generation users this is a scary concept. Current users are accustomed to containing all their data right in their immediate, personal realm. However, echoing the Kemick video's assertions, many of the Office platform software will probably have completely online equivalents that do not require purchasing, licensing, or massive amounts of personal drive storage.
Conclusion
As the world continues to move toward a technologically collaborative model in which online tools are increasingly prevalent, utilization of Web 2.0 presentation tools will be key to ensuring success. In the K-12 realm, adoption and use of Prezi, Screencast-o-matic and 280 Slides (with many others at the educator's disposal) offer a range of opportunities for teachers and students to diversify lessons and presentations. The modern ad responsible educator will find ways in which to implement these tools regularly within the classroom in order to produce students ready for the demands of the dynamic 21st century.
2.0 PRESENTATION TOOLS FOR THE CLASSROOM
Justin Nelson, Mary Swinford-Berns, Aaron YonkeEDL 755 Technology, Culture and LearningDr. Nari KimJuly 2011Introduction
A dynamic world filled with constant change demands equal change in the classroom. The traditional methods of classroom presentations are tried and true, and the classic stand-bys PowerPoint and Keynote remain reliable, basic tools. However, just as our world advances technologically, the methods for classroom presentations are also advancing. With the advent of Web 2.0 technologies and their application to the classroom, both teachers and students now have a wider range of online tools with which to create more engaging presentations. Results of this increase in 2.0 technology in classrooms, Prezi, Screencast-o-matic and 280 Slides are three modern, online presentation applications with a myriad of advantages over the traditional models previously available.
Definition of a 2.0 Presentation Tool
In his article, What Is Web 2.0: Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software Tim O’Reilly discusses that Web 2.0 technologies are a method for “harnessing collective intelligence” (2). The focus for online and Web 2.0 technologies in the modern society is collaboration and accessibility. The presentational aspect of Web 2.0 tools is to make presentations more public than in years past, when a PowerPoint would just be housed on a local drive and perhaps uploaded to a wikispace, provided there was enough storage space available. Now, with Web 2.0 presentation tools, these presentations can be stored in many locations, most notably online, where more people can have access to them, more data can be shared, and the lay-out of the presentation itself can be formatted. “[W]e always need to create, collaborate and manage our documents in the best possible way,” says Kripa Iyer on the techware blog, and the new tools currently available offer teachers and students the ability to do so.History
Prezi
CLICK HERE to view an example of a Prezi on Pythagoras' Theorem that can be used in the classroom.
Screencast-o-Matic
Screencast-o-Matic was developed and launched in May 2007. However, long before the launch of Screencast-o-Matic,
monitors ("7 things you," 2006). Screencasts allow an individual to record a video of their actions on a computer monitor. These videos can then be saved as a video file and can be uploaded to You Tube or other file sharing programs online. Screencasts are very valuable as they provide students with a lesson that they can watch on their own time and outside of the classroom. Specifically, Screencast-o-Matic is one of the easiest screen casting programs available to individuals on the internet. It is free to use and its ease of use make it one of the favorite screen casting programs available on the internet.
280 Slides is the brainchild of the creative team of the company 280 North, Francisco Tolmasky, Tom Robinson
and Ross Boucher (280 North Homepage). Only approximately three years old, this online presentation tool has been
generating many positive reviews online and in the technology blogosphere. Tolmasky and Boucher are both former
Apple employees, and 280 Slides is similar to the Keynote platform (techcrunch); however, it is a tool that is
completely housed online, requiring no software downloads or purchases (Carlson). Dave Kemick's instructional YouTube video on 280 Slides references the notion that one day, many of the traditional Office-based softwares will most likely be housed online, similarly to 280 Slides.
Advantages
PreziScreencast-o-Matic
280 Slides
- 280 Slides is a free online program.
- Users only need internet access and a browser to utilize the program, and the registration only requires an e-mail address with password.
- The format is very similar to PowerPoint and Keynote, programs most likely already familiar to teachers and students.
- The program includes a media search tool, so users can add media directly from the Internet to the slide presentation.
- Users can import previously created PowerPoint presentations (but see “Disadvantages” below).
- The 280 Slide presentation is downloadable to PowerPoint 2007.
(Information primarily provided by author's personal use and the Carlson article.)The most immediately relevant advantage for classroom application of this technology is that it is free and supported completely online. This eliminates many issues that may arise due to students not having software on their computers at home or experiencing issues with saving drafts to a jump-drive and not finding compatibility at school from their home hardware. For teachers, local school drives can be drastically freed of large PowerPoint presentations due to the presentations being stored online. As stated in the advantages list, any back-up copies can still be downloaded to personal drives or printed in hard copy format.
Additionally, as long as you have saved your previous presentations as .pptx files, 280 Slides is fairly reliable with converting and importing the presentation, along with the templates and slide design and layouts previously found in PowerPoint. This is advantageous because the current amount of slide design and layout in 280 slides is not as diverse as PowerPoint yet. However, there are still quite a few glitches in the converting process. Any media previously embedded does not convert and causes disruptions in importing. As of now, it appears better to start presentations from scratch in the program rather than convert old presentations from PowerPoint, especially more complicated PowerPoints.
Disadvantages
Prezi
Screencast-o-Matic
280 Slides
- Certain image file types are not supported (most notably PDF).
- Some presentational glitches are evident, especially when downloading to different formats like PowerPoint.
- No special or fancy screen transition options are available. Only one transition from slide to slide exists.
- 280 Slides does not currently support hyperlinks.
- The user cannot cut and paste from a Word document in to the slide show program, everything must be typed directly in the slide program.
(Information primarily provided by author's personal use and the Carlson article.)Currently, the advantages for 280 Slides outweigh the disadvantages. However, to a new user who is more accustomed to PowerPoint or Keynote and the wider range of variety in those programs, some of the current limitations can be frustrating. If a user starts a project in 280 Slides rather than transfer from an existing program, though, he or she will find that the frustration level is greatly reduced.
Possible concerns in K-12 Education
PreziOne specific concern of using Prezi in the classroom is the limited amount of users offered by Prezi. At present, students can work collaboratively in real time, but with only ten students at a time. In today's classroom of 30+ students, that would mean assigning three students to a computer. In classes of over 30, even more would have to be assigned. For every student to become proficient at Prezi, these types of arrangements are not practical.
Becoming proficient is another concern in the classroom. Although there are readily available tutorials for Prezi, the fact still remains that the teacher would have to be proficient at using this tool to be able to assist students. Committing the rare resource of time to acquiring that proficiency will not be every teachers's priority.
Then there are the social justice issues to consider when using any 2.0 tool: even in today's society, there are students who will not have access to a computer to be able to work past the class hour allotted to instruction.
Screencast-o-Matic
One of the biggest concerns that arise when using a product like Screencast-o-Matic would the requirement that students have access to a computer and the internet to take advantage of screencasts. Students coming from low income families or that do not have the appropriate technology would be at a disadvantage. Although the Howard-Suamico school district is a rather affluent district, it is important to remember that all students may not have equal access to the proper means of technology. If a teacher plans on using screencasts in the classroom, students would need to have their own computers to allow them work at their own pace. Currently at Bay Port, it is quite difficult to obtain access to computer labs. If a teacher was show a screen cast on a SMART Board or LCD projector, it really would not be that much different than a lecture. Another issue would be the access to high speed internet in the classroom. Although Bay Port is a wireless school, the reliability and speed of the internet varies from day to day. Therefore, screencasting may not be the most reliable option. With this being said, the overall positives and advantages of screen casts outweigh the negatives. If a teacher plans on using screencasts outside of the classroom as a supplement to the core materials that are being presented in the classroom, there should not be too much of a concern.
280 Slides
Echoing the concerns of both Prezi and Screencast-o-matic' s uses in the classroom, 280 Slides also requires access to the Internet. Students will need to be able to access a Browser in order to complete work in the program. During the school day, access to computers for class time is also limited, so a student will have to be motivated when using this program if they do not have regular Internet access; procrastination is most certainly not an option with this program. Additionally, all the files are stored online. While the user can choose to download the files to his or her personal drive or storage device, the purpose of 280 Slides is to reduce this need. Yet, technology is not always one hundred percent reliable and a student could potentially have his or her work lost due to a glitch or server crash. For truly important tasks, back-ups would be a must. Otherwise, 280 Slides offers many positive aspects for use in K-12 education.
Future direction
PreziIn the three short years that Prezi has been in existence, it has already has introduced three new products: Prezi Desktop, which is for offline use with the added security of local storage, Prezi Meeting, which gives Prezi the ability to be used collaboratively, and Prezi iPad, an application for the iPad. In compliment to these newer innovations, the brains behind Prezi are constantly looking for ways to improve their product to appeal to users even more. This continual innovation and open approach will keep Zui Labs fresh and competitive. For this generation of students who desire the need to be autonomous and the need to be competent, Prezi provides just the right challenge. It definitely allows the user to be creative and since it is non-traditional, it allows students to opportunity to conquer it. These facts, coupled with its free access will attract many new users for years to come. Its uniqueness will also stimulate the free market and bring on many competitors in the non-linear presentation field. The spearheads of Prezi will have to stay current and innovative to stay competitive.
Screencast-o-Matic
Due to the fact that screencasting is easily accessible and just as easy to use, just about anyone can take advantage of this web 2.0 product. With the current movement towards more standards and educators having to provide more evidence of student learning, screencasts could play a vital role in fulfilling this need. Students could create a screen cast as part of a yearlong portfolio to display their proficiency in a particular topic. Screencasts may also prove to be a useful tool when it comes to helping students that are absent from class with remaining up to date on materials that are being presented.
280 Slides
The future of data storage seems to lie within the realm of online storage. The days of large personal servers and storage drives is slowly waning. To current generation users this is a scary concept. Current users are accustomed to containing all their data right in their immediate, personal realm. However, echoing the Kemick video's assertions, many of the Office platform software will probably have completely online equivalents that do not require purchasing, licensing, or massive amounts of personal drive storage.
Conclusion
As the world continues to move toward a technologically collaborative model in which online tools are increasingly prevalent, utilization of Web 2.0 presentation tools will be key to ensuring success. In the K-12 realm, adoption and use of Prezi, Screencast-o-matic and 280 Slides (with many others at the educator's disposal) offer a range of opportunities for teachers and students to diversify lessons and presentations. The modern ad responsible educator will find ways in which to implement these tools regularly within the classroom in order to produce students ready for the demands of the dynamic 21st century.References
7 things you should know about screencasting. (2006, March). Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7012.pdf280 Slides review. (2009) Retrieved from techcrunch.com
About us. (2011). About prezi. Retrieved June 30, 2011, from http://prezi.com
About 280 North. (2008) Retrieved from 280North.com
Arc, J. (2010, September 6). Use a Prezi as an alternative to PowerPoint presentations. Retrieved July 11, 2011 from Trending education website: http://trendingeducation.com/?p=326
Bovard, Bethany. (2008, July). Screencasting. Retrieved from http://tektrekker.pbworks.com/w/page/20444902/Screencasting
Carlson, J. (2011) 280 Slides. Retrieved from http://teachweb2.wikispaces.com/280+Slides
Kemick, D. (2008). 280 Slides. Retrieved from Youtube.com
Screencast-o-matic review. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.appappeal.com/app/screencast-o-matic/
Sijbrandij, S., de Bruin, J., & Dragan, T. (2011). Prezi. In AppAppeal [Review guide for presentation tools]. Retrieved June 30, 2011, from http://www.appappeal.com/app/prez